All due respect to Ascend Ampitheater – it’s a great spot right there downtown and on the Cumberland River. The Nashville skyline serves as an ambient backdrop for some of the finest musicians on the planet. I’m not going to argue with that. Ascend has definitely carved out is own spot on the musical attraction scene in Nashville. But, at least according to this 34-year-old jaded local, it’s no Starwood. I don’t know that we can ever truly replace our mecca of lawn lounging, contact highs, and traveling way out of the way to see a show. But, it sure sounds like with FirstBank Ampitheater, we’re at least going to be closer than we’ve been since Starwood closed its doors.
Courtesy of the FirstBank Amphitheater website:
Introducing FirstBank Amphitheater, a world-class boutique amphitheater nestled within a beautiful, wooded, natural stone and park-like setting. Located at the Graystone Quarry in Thompson’s Station at the southern border of Franklin, Tennessee, FirstBank Amphitheater is planned to open later this year for memorable music experiences whenever fans and artists can gather for concerts again.
I, for one, am stoked to read this. Maybe I’m just starting to sound more and more like that old curmudgeon that hates what the kids have done with the city, but I love the idea of a big outdoor venue that’s (relatively) far out of the way. A day trip down south of Franklin (I live in Mount Juliet) to catch some quality tunes sounds rather inviting. I love that this place is basically cut into the side of a hill, too. It’s like the Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX) of music venues. Also, their website mentions that they’ll also have 18 cliff-side suites that will overlook the stage. Sounds frickin’ sweet.
Now, we just need to get our guy Steven McCash in to do a tour. He’s the Lead Music Columnist for a reason – writing New Music Friday, assembling playlists, reviewing shows and goings-on around town. I know he would get a good feature out of it, so pick up the damned phone (actually, please check your spam folder in case he slipped through the cracks). Before this officially turns into a Steven McCash appreciation post, I’m going to get on out of here. I can’t wait for this place to open. I also can’t wait for someone to insinuate that I was paid to write this in the comments section.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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